INTRODUCTION In India there are number of minor fruit crops which has significant role in human health having very nutritious, medicinal and health properties. Among which Custard apple (Annona squamosa L.) a well-balanced dryland fruit crop rich in carbohydrate in the form of sugar (23.64%), protein (2.06%), calcium (24.0mg/100g), phosphorus (32.0mg/100g) and iron (0.6mg/100g) having excellent source of Vitamin C (36.3mg/100g), a good source of dietary fibre (4.4g/100g), a useful source of Vitamin B6 (0.2mg/100g), magnesium (21.0mg/100g) and potassium (247.0mg/100g), and with some B2 (0.113mg/100g). The custard apple of India, the sitaphal or sugar apple introduced from tropical America and found in wild form in many parts of the country. It is common in China, Philippines, Egypt and Central Africa. Custard apple growing regions in India include Assam, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Tamil Nadu. In India, it occupies area 46 thousand ha with production 401 thousand ha (Annonymous, 2017-18 http://agricoop.nic.in). Maharashtra and Gujarat are another large custard apple growing state. However, the germination of custard apple through seed took long time and with very poor percentage germination because of seed dormancy and hard seed coat hence the softwood grafting is a most vital factor which determines the days of grafting and it is the easiest and cheapest method of propagation results in giving maximum success percentage in fruit crops like jamun (Syzygium cumini L. Skeel), tamarind (Tamrindus indica L.), and custard apple (Annona squamosa L) (Chovatia and Singh 2000; Awasthi and Shukla 2003; Ghosh et al., 2004). The soft wood grafting has huge advantages over the other methods of propagation Pawar et al. (2018). In order to standardize the suitable grafting time and age of rootstock the present investigation on ‘Study on propagation of custard apple’ were studied to find out maximum success. MATERIALS AND METHODS An Investigation on Propagation of custard apple to find out suitable grafting time and age of root stock has been carried out at nursery of Regional Fruit Research Station, Katol District Nagpur during 2017 to 2020 under shed net condition. The treatment comprised of 4 different grafting time (3rd week of January, 1st week of February, 3rd Week of February, 1st Week of March) and 4 different ages of rootstock i.e., seven months, Eight months, nine months and Ten Months rootstock. The experiment was laid out in (Factorial Randomized Block Design) FRBD with sixteen treatment combinations and three replications. The grafting was employed in custard apple, thirty seedlings of local cultivar having different age were used as rootstock was selected for performing grafting. The statistical analysis was followed as suggested by Panse and Sukhatme (1996). The percentage of graft success was calculated by following given formula Percentage of graft success (%) = RESULT AND DISCUSSION The data presented in Table 1 showed the height of rootstock at the time of grafting. The local rootstock was selected for grafting and the trial was conducted for 3 successive years starting from 2017-18 to 2019-2020. The rootstock age significantly influences the height of rootstock. During the year 2017-18 the maximum height of rootstock was recorded on ten months old seedling i.e., 64.00cm during 1st week of March followed by 3rd week of February i.e. 63.33cm. During 2018-19, the same results were found while the minimum height of rootstock was recorded in 7 months old rootstock on 3rd week of January i.e., 50.33 cm. While, during 2019-20, the maximum height of rootstock was recorded on ten-month-old seedling (64.67cm) during 1st week of March. In pooled analysis the significantly maximum height was recorded in ten-month-old rootstock (64.22cm) followed by nine-month-old rootstock (63.11cm) and eight-month rootstock (61.22cm). However, minimum height of rootstock was obtained in seven-month-old rootstock (50.78cm) during 3rd week of January. Interaction effect was also found significant. Significantly maximum height was recorded in ten-month-old rootstock with the grafting time 1st week of March (61.52cm). The results are in conformity with the findings of Mane et al. (2018); Dhutraj et al. (2018) who observed maximum height during grafting on 1st January. The results pertaining in Table 2 was about the number of leaves at different age of rootstocks during the time of grafting and the pooled results showed that the maximum number of leaves were recorded in ten-month-old rootstock (17.89) followed by nine (15.00) and eight (13.33) month old rootstock during 1st week of March. The results are in agreement with Kudmulwar et al. (2008); Mane et al. (2018). The data presented in Table 3 was regarding the diameter of rootstock which plays an important role in the success of grafts. The grafts of custard apple were grafted at four different time i.e., 3rd week of January, 1st week of February, 3rd Week of February, 1st Week of March) on 7, 8, 9, and 10 months old rootstocks. Significantly the maximum diameter was noticed in ten months old rootstock (1.06 cm) and nine months old rootstock (0.99cm). However, minimum diameter was obtained in seven (0.86cm) and eight months old rootstock (0.89cm). Based on three-year data the interactive effect of age of rootstock at the time of grafting was found non-significant. The results were found in conformity with the findings of Patil et al. (2017). The results on grafting success % study was predicted in Table 4, the age of rootstock and growth parameters of rootstock plays a significantly influenced on grafting success. During the year of 2015-16, the maximum grafting success % was noticed on seven-month-old rootstock grafted during 3rd week of January (95.00%). While, minimum success percentage was observed on ten-month-old rootstock grafted during 1st week of March i.e. (79.00%) The same trend was observed during 2016-17 and 2017-18. The pooled results showed that seven months old root stock was significantly superior over all other treatments (95.11%) and it was followed by eight months old root stock (94.67%) during 3rd week of January. Significantly minimum success of grafting was observed in ten months old root stock (79.11%) during 1st week of March. The interaction was found to be non-significant. The results are in supported with Hartman and Kestar (1972); Shinde et al. (1966); Kulkarni (1990); Dhutraj et al. (2018); Dhutraj and Baghat (2019) who observed January to February was the period for the maximum success of grafting in custard apple. The results pertaining in Table 2 was about the number of leaves at different age of rootstocks during the time of grafting. The pooled results showed that the maximum number of leaves were recorded in ten-month-old rootstock (17.89) followed by nine (15.00) and eight (13.33) month old rootstock during 1st week of March. The results are in agreement with Kudmulwar et al. (2008); Mane et al. (2018). The data presented in Table 3 was regarding the diameter of rootstock which plays an important role in the success of grafts. The grafts of custard apple were grafted at four different time i.e., 3rd week of January, 1st week of February, 3rd Week of February, 1st Week of March) on 7, 8, 9, and 10 months old rootstocks. Significantly the maximum diameter was noticed in ten months old rootstock (1.06 cm) and nine months old rootstock (0.99cm), However, minimum diameter was obtained in seven (0.86cm) and eight months old rootstock (0.89cm). Based on three-year data the interactive effect of age of rootstock at the time of grafting was found non-significant. The results were found in conformity with the findings of Patil et al. (2017). The results on grafting success % study was predicted in Table 4, the age of rootstock and growth parameters of rootstock plays a significantly influenced on grafting success. During the year of 2015-16, the maximum grafting success % was noticed on seven-month-old rootstock grafted during 3rd week of January (95.00%). While, minimum success percentage was observed on ten-month-old rootstock grafted during 1st week of March i.e. (79.00%) The same trend was observed during 2016-17 and 2017-18. The pooled results showed that seven months old root stock was significantly superior over all other treatments (95.11%) and it was followed by eight months old root stock (94.67%) during 3rd week of January. Significantly minimum success of grafting was observed in ten months old root stock (79.11%) during 1st week of March. The interaction was found to be non-significant. The results are in supported with Hartman and Kestar (1972); Shinde et al. (1996); Kulkarni (1990); Dhutraj et al. (2018); Dhutraj and Baghat (2019) who observed January to February was the period for the maximum success of grafting in custard apple.